The present invention relates generally to a sports implement and more specifically to a pre-manufactured or pre-formed pocket for a lacrosse stick that attaches to the frame to become a head.
The lacrosse game originated with the American and Canadian Native Americans. Traditionally, a lacrosse stick has a handle portion attached to a head. The head consists generally of a frame and a pocket. Traditionally, a pocket for a lacrosse head is hand stitched by the player using two or more strings with two or more runners. The runners and strings work together to form a pocket and are secured to the head frame using the combination of the runners and ties. Unfortunately, if one string breaks then the entire pocket will need to be replaced often times requiring that the other string be removed as well. Further, if one of the strings stretches or, more likely, if one of the runners stretches then many adjustments have to made to many portions of the pocket to tighten up the pocket to a predetermined depth and tightness.
There are currently at least three popular ways to construct lacrosse pockets:
1—Traditional: braided nylon or polyester lace woven between sidewall and longitudinal runners (sometimes referred to as thongs). The runners are traditionally leather or braided nylon and run between the scoop and inside throat area. The pocket is woven to the head as it is being created. Many traditional pockets comprise four runners, cross lacing, and side wall stringing. These materials are typically hand woven or strung in the traditional manner to form a pocket. The stringing and/or weaving of a traditional pocket is very labor intensive is typically done by hand.
Additionally, stringing a traditional pocket requires skill. Lacrosse players who do not have stringing skills are often required to hire independents that do. Alternatively, one can buy a head factory strung by the lacrosse manufacturer. If a lacrosse stick is purchased unstrung (without a pocket), then a stringing “kit” must be purchased. This kit includes material for weaving a traditional pocket.
Today, the traditional pocket is standard to the industry and is the most popular pocket among lacrosse players.
2—Mesh: machine woven nylon mesh is pre-manufactured and later attached to the sidewalls, scoop and inside throat areas. The mesh pockets consist of a polyester or nylon material woven together to create a diamond mesh (much like a mesh gymnastic bag). This mesh material is machine made and is the integral body of the pocket. A mesh material only allows for one consistent weave pattern.
3—Traditional/Mesh: a head that is strung with a combination of pre-manufactured mesh, hand woven lace and longitudinal runners.
Connected to the head is the handle. Lacrosse handles are extruded or formed in a single shape and diameter that runs over its length. They currently are made of alloy, titanium, wood or composite materials. The entire outer surface of each handle is made of all the same material.
The head of a lacrosse stick is commonly made of a moderately flexible plastic material. These heads may break due to weather conditions or a rough style of play. If a traditionally strung head breaks, the pocket cannot effectively be saved.
Additionally, lacrosse player's pocket may take months to “break in”. During this period, the player becomes accustomed to the pocket and makes adjustments to make it personalized. The pocket is arguably the most crucial part of a lacrosse stick because it is the basis for good ball control, accurate passing, and fast, accurate shooting.
Accordingly, there is a need for replaceable preformed pocket netting that is easily replaceable, and requires a short “break in” period, but provides the performance characteristics demanded by lacrosse players.
The following U.S. patent generally describe the art of lacrosse sticks and heads, and are expressly incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,938,550; 6,066,056; 5,651,549; 5,568,925; 4,049,273; 5,425,541; 5,178,397; 5,048,843; 4,657,260; 4,270,756; and 4,138,111.
What is needed, then, is a pre-manufactured traditional pocket. This pre-manufactured pocket must be easy to manufacture. This needed pocket must be easy to attach to a frame to make a head. This needed pocket must be easily replaceable. This needed pocket must be available in many shapes. This needed pocket must be easy to adjust. This needed pocket is presently lacking in the prior art.